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If it were possible to do so, I would possibly buy this as my new "phone": - I almost never hold my phone to my ear - I don't need the dual-lens features

If it were possible to do so, I would possibly buy this as my new "phone": - I almost never hold my phone to my ear - I don't need the dual-lens features of the new iPhones - Standby battery life seems up to the challenge - Apple doesn't offer the iPhone Mini anymore, which is what I'm carrying now. If I'm going bigger, why not actually go BIGger. Things holding me back: - Not actually sure about the battery life - As far as I know you can't transfer your actual phone line to a Mini

ks2048 2y ago
Last last point makes me wonder: why have phone numbers at all?
- thrdbndndn 2y ago
  There are still lots of services requiring a phone number (at registering or using it for 2FA). No one likes it but that's the reality. And no, virtual numbers like Google Voice are often (but not always) blocked.
  - ks2048 2y ago
    I can see why people want a phone number now. I was thinking more about why society doesn’t move away from phone numbers (for me, it’s been a hastle to be linked to a carrier and a country)
    - joha4270 2y ago
      What better system can you think off? That allows calling the doctor, a restaurant, or that friend-of-a-friend who is selling a tractor? Without requiring people self-host a brunch of infrastructure (I like self-hosting stuff, most people wouldn't) Also, inertia
      - cujo 2y ago
        i think the problem isn't the phone number, but the special hardware/vendor lock in that is required for it. if you travel a lot or live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, it quickly becomes obvious that being tethered to a regional provider for your phone number is a problem. you end up paying ridiculous roaming fees to keep your number active in the other country, or you lose any ability for people to contact you by phone. it's incredibly frustrating when voip is so close, but not the 100% solution. couple that with providers still charging ridiculous fees to call numbers in other countries and it gets even worse.
        L3viathan 2y ago
        > if you [] live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, [] providers still charging ridiculous fees What places other than the EU does the "easy to cross borders as a part of life" apply to?
        cujo 2y ago
        why does it matter? but to answer: literally near any bordering country.
    - B1FF_PSUVM 2y ago
      > I was thinking more about why Good question - e.g. why isn't a phone number like an email address. My guess is that it functions as an anchor - not to help motion, but to guarantee immobility. Like a physical address, the inconvenience of changing makes for fewer changes. A low-pass filter, for system stability, if you want to look at it that way.
- gcanyon 2y ago
  I'm pretty close to skipping out on my cell number. I very rarely use it. But that said, I do use it every so often, and when I do I need it pretty strongly. Also, I've had the same number for something like 15 years, and that's hard to walk away from.
deepfriedchokes 2y ago
Google Voice?
dayvid 2y ago
Samsung has a Galaxy fold which I’m interested in buying as a second device. I’d imagine Apple has to have something similar as a prototype as it seems like a no brainer
- lannisterstark 2y ago
  Problem with current folds is that I want the screen to open/extend. I don't want to open YET ANOTHER LARGER screen. This makes most sense tbf. You want a phone to extend into a tablet, and actually have the first screen still be usable. It cuts down cost and waste of always having at least one screen always off. Original Huawei mate x and the new trifold does what I'd like. But then again... Huawei so can't in US lol.
walterbell 2y ago
iPad Mini cellular is data-only. PSTN calls and SMS require a VOIP client or separate dumbphone. E2EE audio/video are available in several messaging apps, including FaceTime, making good use of the larger screen. TouchID is good for fast and reliable unlock.
- jonpurdy 2y ago
  I've been using data-only SIMs (and now eSIMS) since 2015. Bria voip client with voip.ms providing DIDs. Works wonderfully well and I can highly recommend going voip-only if you can. The thing holding me back from going iPad Mini instead of iPhone was Apple Watch needs the iPhone (for some reason you can't use an iPad or Mac). Not an issue anymore. But now I rely on the amazing 16 Pro camera (with Halide shooting RAW) to mostly replace my mirrorless RX1, so yet another reason to stay iPhone.
  - nsteel 2y ago
    Does voip.ms work with 2FA services e.g. those used by banks? I have heard it doesn't and that's a dealbreaker for me.
    - jonpurdy 2y ago
      It works for most of them, but not all. And sometimes a service originally supports it, but then changes and doesn't, which means you need to get in touch with them to fix it. I now have a Tello eSIM ($5/mo) that I use just for the 3-4 services that don't support voip.ms. And only turn it on when I need it.
      - nsteel 2y ago
        Ok, thanks, as rumoured then. I was trying to use Tello but despite supposedly activating the esim in my supposedly supported phone (6a), it reuses to do anything. I've just switched to tossble digits which a) works for me, and b) is much cheaper!
initplus 2y ago
You'll likely run into frustrating app availability issues. Releasing iPhone apps on iPad is not universally done. (looking at you WhatsApp)
crossroadsguy 2y ago
> dual-lens features of the new iPhones Dual? I guess some of the iPhone 16 models might have 7-8 of them by now. (I have not checked the whole 16 lineup yet, they have not bumped up the lens count, or have they?). My old 14 has 2 though. Yup, just checked - it's two. I guess it must be like two plane engines. If one is broken the other will work (I also guess/hope that's how plane engines work). > iPhone Mini anymore, which is what I'm carrying now I tried. The battery was atrocious. To make the battery last till early or kinda late evening I had to actively not use the phone, so I finally gave in and moved to the smallest iPhablet i.e iPhone 14 at that time (actually there was 15 as well but I guess the only difference for me between the two was the price difference). It's been said iPhone Mini 13 was the last of the small phone lineage and there will be no more.
wildekek 2y ago
> I almost never hold my phone to my ear Please tell me why people do this.
- freedomben 2y ago
  When you around other people (so speaker phone is inappropriate) and don't have earbuds.

ks2048 2y ago

Last last point makes me wonder: why have phone numbers at all?

thrdbndndn 2y ago
There are still lots of services requiring a phone number (at registering or using it for 2FA). No one likes it but that's the reality. And no, virtual numbers like Google Voice are often (but not always) blocked.
- ks2048 2y ago
  I can see why people want a phone number now. I was thinking more about why society doesn’t move away from phone numbers (for me, it’s been a hastle to be linked to a carrier and a country)
  - joha4270 2y ago
    What better system can you think off? That allows calling the doctor, a restaurant, or that friend-of-a-friend who is selling a tractor? Without requiring people self-host a brunch of infrastructure (I like self-hosting stuff, most people wouldn't) Also, inertia
    - cujo 2y ago
      i think the problem isn't the phone number, but the special hardware/vendor lock in that is required for it. if you travel a lot or live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, it quickly becomes obvious that being tethered to a regional provider for your phone number is a problem. you end up paying ridiculous roaming fees to keep your number active in the other country, or you lose any ability for people to contact you by phone. it's incredibly frustrating when voip is so close, but not the 100% solution. couple that with providers still charging ridiculous fees to call numbers in other countries and it gets even worse.
      - L3viathan 2y ago
        > if you [] live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, [] providers still charging ridiculous fees What places other than the EU does the "easy to cross borders as a part of life" apply to?
        cujo 2y ago
        why does it matter? but to answer: literally near any bordering country.
  - B1FF_PSUVM 2y ago
    > I was thinking more about why Good question - e.g. why isn't a phone number like an email address. My guess is that it functions as an anchor - not to help motion, but to guarantee immobility. Like a physical address, the inconvenience of changing makes for fewer changes. A low-pass filter, for system stability, if you want to look at it that way.
gcanyon 2y ago
I'm pretty close to skipping out on my cell number. I very rarely use it. But that said, I do use it every so often, and when I do I need it pretty strongly. Also, I've had the same number for something like 15 years, and that's hard to walk away from.

deepfriedchokes 2y ago

Google Voice?

dayvid 2y ago

Samsung has a Galaxy fold which I’m interested in buying as a second device. I’d imagine Apple has to have something similar as a prototype as it seems like a no brainer

lannisterstark 2y ago
Problem with current folds is that I want the screen to open/extend. I don't want to open YET ANOTHER LARGER screen. This makes most sense tbf. You want a phone to extend into a tablet, and actually have the first screen still be usable. It cuts down cost and waste of always having at least one screen always off. Original Huawei mate x and the new trifold does what I'd like. But then again... Huawei so can't in US lol.

walterbell 2y ago

iPad Mini cellular is data-only. PSTN calls and SMS require a VOIP client or separate dumbphone. E2EE audio/video are available in several messaging apps, including FaceTime, making good use of the larger screen. TouchID is good for fast and reliable unlock.

jonpurdy 2y ago
I've been using data-only SIMs (and now eSIMS) since 2015. Bria voip client with voip.ms providing DIDs. Works wonderfully well and I can highly recommend going voip-only if you can. The thing holding me back from going iPad Mini instead of iPhone was Apple Watch needs the iPhone (for some reason you can't use an iPad or Mac). Not an issue anymore. But now I rely on the amazing 16 Pro camera (with Halide shooting RAW) to mostly replace my mirrorless RX1, so yet another reason to stay iPhone.
- nsteel 2y ago
  Does voip.ms work with 2FA services e.g. those used by banks? I have heard it doesn't and that's a dealbreaker for me.
  - jonpurdy 2y ago
    It works for most of them, but not all. And sometimes a service originally supports it, but then changes and doesn't, which means you need to get in touch with them to fix it. I now have a Tello eSIM ($5/mo) that I use just for the 3-4 services that don't support voip.ms. And only turn it on when I need it.
    - nsteel 2y ago
      Ok, thanks, as rumoured then. I was trying to use Tello but despite supposedly activating the esim in my supposedly supported phone (6a), it reuses to do anything. I've just switched to tossble digits which a) works for me, and b) is much cheaper!

initplus 2y ago

You'll likely run into frustrating app availability issues. Releasing iPhone apps on iPad is not universally done. (looking at you WhatsApp)

crossroadsguy 2y ago

> dual-lens features of the new iPhones Dual? I guess some of the iPhone 16 models might have 7-8 of them by now. (I have not checked the whole 16 lineup yet, they have not bumped up the lens count, or have they?). My old 14 has 2 though. Yup, just checked - it's two. I guess it must be like two plane engines. If one is broken the other will work (I also guess/hope that's how plane engines work). > iPhone Mini anymore, which is what I'm carrying now I tried. The battery was atrocious. To make the battery last till early or kinda late evening I had to actively not use the phone, so I finally gave in and moved to the smallest iPhablet i.e iPhone 14 at that time (actually there was 15 as well but I guess the only difference for me between the two was the price difference). It's been said iPhone Mini 13 was the last of the small phone lineage and there will be no more.

wildekek 2y ago

> I almost never hold my phone to my ear Please tell me why people do this.

freedomben 2y ago
When you around other people (so speaker phone is inappropriate) and don't have earbuds.